Kia Carnival vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2024 Kia Carnival made a bold design statement, blending SUV-like aesthetics with traditional minivan features. Its prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood gave it an SUV-like appearance, although the sliding doors and lack of ground clearance revealed its true minivan nature. The Carnival's styling details, such as the slightly concave grille with disco-ball-like trim and filament-like taillights, added a distinctive touch. The SX trim's 19-inch wheels filled the wheel wells perfectly, enhancing its overall look. Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with chunky switchgear and a large shifter, making it appealing to image-conscious buyers. The interior materials were durable, acknowledging the wear and tear expected in a family vehicle. While the SX trim offered real leather upholstery and heated and ventilated seats, the rest of the interior was predominantly plastic.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid adopted a conservative design approach, drawing inspiration from the popular RAV4. This resulted in a larger version of the RAV4 with seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The interior prioritized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. However, the use of glossy hard plastic and unlined storage surfaces explained the base model's value proposition. The climate system was user-friendly, featuring large temperature adjustment knobs, while the infotainment interface had some drawbacks, such as a small volume knob and the absence of a tuning knob. Overall, the Grand Highlander offered a practical and spacious interior, albeit with some design compromises.

The 2024 Kia Carnival featured a straightforward powertrain setup with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. While it lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options, the Carnival's V6 provided a pleasant driving experience. The steering was well-balanced, offering the right amount of feel and effort for maneuvering in parking lots and maintaining precision at higher speeds. The Carnival's chassis provided a comfortable ride, making it suitable for long road trips. Interior noise levels were low, and the drivetrain was refined, with smooth and quick gear shifts. The V6 engine emitted a satisfying growl at full throttle, showcasing its performance capabilities.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max emphasized performance with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time all-wheel drive. This powertrain produced 362 net horsepower, allowing the Grand Highlander to accelerate swiftly. The traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoided the droning common in CVTs. However, the Hybrid Max's fuel economy was slightly lower, with a combined rating of 8.8 L/100 km. It could tow up to 2,268 kilograms, making it a versatile choice for those needing towing capacity. The Hybrid Max's acceleration was impressive, with electric motors eliminating turbo lag. The ride quality was soft and isolating, although undulations in the road could cause some vertical and lateral movement. Handling was secure, but the tires tended to scrub and squeal early when pushed hard.

The 2024 Kia Carnival offered a spacious interior with an eight-passenger configuration in most grades, while the SX trim featured VIP Lounge seats in the second row. Power-sliding rear doors, a power liftgate, and tri-zone automatic climate control were standard on all but the base model. The Carnival provided ample headroom and legroom in the first and second rows, although third-row legroom was limited compared to rivals. With all seats in place, it offered 1,138 litres of cargo space, thanks to a deep cargo well. Folding the third and second rows increased cargo capacity to 4,110 litres, surpassing competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica. The Carnival's sliding doors and low step-in height made passenger loading easy, although it lacked features like fold-flat seating. The front space was well-organized, with easy-to-find controls and ample storage options. It could tow up to 1,587 kilograms, matching the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid provided comfortable seating in all three rows, with a maximum cargo space of over 2,700 litres. However, unlined storage locations contributed to noise and vibration levels. The Platinum trim featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery, adding a touch of luxury. The front and second-row seats were heated and ventilated, offering excellent support. The rear doors were long and required ample space for opening, making child seat installation challenging. The second-row captain's chairs with a removable centre console allowed for easy access to the third row. The Grand Highlander's rearmost seats were comfortable for adults and tall teens, with ample crush space for safety. Cargo space behind the third row was 586 litres, expandable to 1,640 litres with the third row folded. Folding the second row provided 2,761 litres of space, nearly matching the Sienna minivan's capacity.

The 2024 Kia Carnival featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on lower trims, while higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster with wired connectivity. The SX grade added a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. Bluetooth voice recognition was standard, with rear-seat voice recognition on higher trims. The Carnival's infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and intuitive controls. It included a dedicated button for the surround-view camera system and an optional cabin camera system for monitoring rear passengers. An intercom system allowed communication with rear-seat occupants, and a Quiet Mode disconnected rear speakers.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services offered various features, including collision notification, SOS emergency response, and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was easy to use, although the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously was a drawback. The digital voice assistant responded accurately to commands, enhancing the user experience. The Platinum trim included a colour head-up display, a camera-based digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system, delivering impressive sound quality.

The 2024 Kia Carnival received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS, with top "Good" ratings in some crash tests but lower scores in others. Headlights on higher trims were rated "Good," while lower trims received "Poor" ratings. Front-crash prevention systems performed well in daytime testing but not at night. The Carnival's child-seat anchor ease of use was rated "Acceptable." The NHTSA had not released safety ratings for the Carnival at the time of publication. Standard safety features included lane keep assist, forward collision avoidance, and rear parking sensors, with additional features available on higher trims.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features and driver assistance technologies. Proactive Driving Assist was standard, although it could be irritating in certain situations. The Grand Highlander's safety tech operated accurately, although the lane keep assist system occasionally strayed too close to lane markers. The camera system's screen takeover at intersections was more annoying than helpful. The Grand Highlander received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.